A note about Adriano and his Dublin videos. You may notice that in a recent installment, he uses the noun locali to mean “the locals.” It’s incorrect.
Questa scuola di cucina serve appunto per far conoscere a locali [sic: persone del posto] e a stranieri
This school serves, in fact, to acquaint locals and foreigners with
le tecniche, i segreti della cucina italiana.
the techniques, the secrets of Italian cooking.
Captions 22-23, Adriano - Pizzeria Pinocchio
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In Italian, un locale is a place. Adriano is using a “false friend” that made its way into his brain without his even realizing it, perhaps. This can happen very easily when we spend time in a foreign country. We make a huge effort to learn the language of the place, we even start thinking in that language, and then all of a sudden we have to speak our native language there in the foreign country. It’s easy to get a little mixed up sometimes. Living in a foreign country encourages us to become somewhat multilingual, using the word that seems the most appropriate at the moment, in whichever language. Since there is no good, single Italian word for “the locals,” Adriano just grabbed the first word that sounded right, treating it as an Italian word, making the plural with an i. If you speak English, you understand it. Just remember: it’s not correct Italian.
Adriano provides us with a useful Italian word: legare (to tie). In talking about his favorite restaurant in Dublin, he uses the verb form, legare (to tie):
Sono molti i fattori che mi legano a questo ristorante.
There are many factors that tie me to this restaurant.
Caption 24, Adriano - Pizzeria Pinocchio
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He’s speaking metaphorically, just as in the following example, where he uses the adjective/past participle legato.
Quando ero piccolo, ero molto legato alla figura di Pinocchio.
When I was little, I was very tied to the figure of Pinocchio.
Caption 38, Adriano - Pizzeria Pinocchio
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In Italian, the verb legare can imply feeling connected to something or someone as in the above examples, or it can be about simply tying or fastening something.
Ora, io non l'ho legato,
Now, I haven't fastened him in,
ma naturalmente va sempre legato.
but naturally he should always be fastened.
Caption 23, Anna presenta - Attrezzature per un neonato
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We’re talking about a kind of seat belt here.
And in the following example, we’re talking about a leash for a dog and tying an animal to a secure post.
Va be', sì, insomma, l'avevo legato qui fuori a un vaso,
OK, yes, in other words, I'd tied him to a flower pot out here,
ma evidentemente...
but evidently...
Caption 35, La Ladra - Ep. 1 - Le cose cambiano
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Things can be tied in a non-physical way, by association.
Comunque qualcosa legato all'incendio, no?
In any case, something tied to the fire, right?
Caption 48, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne
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There's more to say about legare so stay tuned.
A subscriber has asked a good question: why Adriano used stare instead of essere in caption 6 in Adriano - Adriano e Anita.
In fact, knowing when to use stare isn’t always easy because like essere, it mostly translates as “to be.” Sometimes the choice is clear cut, and other times it’s a matter of taste or regional usage.
Sicuramente vi starete chiedendo
Surely you are wondering,
chi è questa bella ragazza che sta alla mia destra.
who is this beautiful girl who is on my right.
Captions 5-6, Adriano - Adriano e Anita
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Perhaps the best answer, in this case, is that stare has more to do with a position in a place or situation than essere, which is generic “to be,” and so using stare is a bit more specific. Adriano is not going so far as to say she is sitting or standing on his right, but she is there, placed at his right, in a position, so stare works.
Adriano also happens to be from Sicily. In southern Italy, people use the verb stare to replace essere in many cases.
There can be multiple reasons for using stare instead of essere, and they can be interchangeable in some cases, but there are some situations in which stare works and essere doesn’t.
Come stai (how are you)? We’re talking about a condition here.
"Come stai?" rispondo "sto bene!"
"How are you?" I answer, "I'm fine."
Caption 37, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Chiedere "Come va?"
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On the other hand, in the (unlikely) case where I ask you come sei? (using essere), I am asking how tall, how fat or thin you are, or how good looking you are, but not how you are feeling, or how you are.
For more on stare, have a look at the WordReference entry for stare and see this Yabla lesson. In addition, it’s always handy to do a Yabla search of stare or its conjugations and look at the examples to get even more of a sense of when to use it.
It’s always handy to know what you are sitting on, so here are some of the basics.
A seat for a single person may be una sedia (a chair). It has four legs, a seat, and a back.
"Per favore, sollevami sulla sedia e fammi sedere accanto a te."
"Please, lift me onto the chair and let me sit next to you."
Caption 1, Ti racconto una fiaba - Il Principe Ranocchio
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The noun la sedia comes from the verb sedere (to sit). The following example is from a movie scene that’s a take-off on the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene, so the Italian is archaic, and some of the words are truncated or modified. The reflexive form of sedere — sedersi — the form generally used to mean “to sit,” is omitted here, and the normal verb sedere is used.
Siedi piuttosto e non avere fretta.
Sit down instead and don't be in a hurry.
Caption 9, Totò e Lia Zoppelli - Romeo e Giulietta
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And here we have another seat for one person: lo sgabello (the stool). Lo sgabello can be low or high, made of wood or another material. It can be used to sit on or to stand on, to reach a high cupboard for example.
Ma dove seder degg'io, se qui sgabel non v'è?
But where do I sit down, when there is no stool here?
Caption 10, Totò e Lia Zoppelli - Romeo e Giulietta
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These days, pianists usually use uno sgabello regolabile (a piano stool that can be raised or lowered), but traditionally, and in homes, the piano has una panca per pianoforte (a piano bench) made of wood to match the piano. As opposed to a sgabello, una panca per pianoforte can fit two people nicely.
Whether we know the definition of a word or not, logic would tell us that panchina is a small panca, because there is a diminutive suffix: ino/ina. In this case, however, we can throw logic out the window because size doesn’t play a role. In fact, panca and panchina basically mean the same thing — a (wooden) seat, often backless, for two or more people — but they’re used in different situations.
In church, we talk about le panche, the pews. Traditionally, these pews would have been backless, but in modern times, church pews usually have backs to them. In some regions, people use the word banco for a church pew.
La panca is usually found indoors, and is generally made of wood. It seats several people around a table. This kind of panca doesn’t usually have a back to it, and is thought of as being rustic.
Una panca can be found in a gym, for doing crunches and weights.
La panca can used to seat people at a performance, usually in a makeshift theater. This may be indoors or outdoors.
"Ah, questa parola non l'hai scandita bene, picchì [perché]
"Ah, you didn't articulate this word well, because
l'ultimo spettatore del, dell'ultima panca
the last spectator on the, on the last bench
ava a sentiri bonu chiddu ca' dici [deve sentire bene quello che dici]".
has to hear what you're saying clearly."
Captions 49-51, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie
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If we go out of doors, we start talking about la panchina.
A "park bench," whether it has a back to it or not, is una panchina. The diminutive suffix -ina has become part of the word, so as mentioned above, size doesn’t matter.
In sports, an inactive player sitting in the dugout or on the sidelines is in panchina.
Un panchetto or una panchetta, on the other hand, is a low stool, often, more elegant than a sgabello, and usually used to rest one’s feet upon. Using the masculine or feminine form depends on the region.
In Part Two, we’ll talk about more comfortable places to sit.
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Il senso (the sense, the way, the feeling) is a very useful noun and has several meanings. Some of the meanings jibe with the English cognate “sense,” but it’s not always a perfect fit. It’s easy to fall into the trap of using the wrong verb with this noun, thus saying something different from what we mean.
One of the most common ways to use senso is when it has to do with “meaning” or “sense.” Note that the verb here is avere (to have) but we translate it into English using the verb “to make.”
Scusa, eh, ma se devi stare così,
Excuse me, huh, but if you have to feel like this,
mi dici che senso ha?
will you tell me what sense that makes?
Caption 1, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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The response to the above question could be:
Non ha nessun senso (it doesn’t make sense at all).
Infatti, è senza senso (in fact, it doesn’t make sense, it’s senseless).
Senso also refers to one of the five senses. It also refers to “sense,” meaning “feeling” or “sensation.” The English cognate “sense” fits pretty well here and both Italian and English can use the verb “to give.”
Il secondo motivo, il più importante,
The second reason, the most important one,
è perché amo la moto
is because I love the motorbike
e mi dà un senso di libertà.
and it gives me a sense of freedom.
Captions 29-30, Adriano - Giornata
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In the following example, senso has to do with feelings but is used with the verb fare (to make). It means something entirely different from what we looked at above. It’s about feelings, but specifically negative ones, as you can see from the translation. Something gives you a sense of creepiness, repulsion, or repugnance. So, it’s important not to use the verb fare “to make” with senso unless you really mean it this way.
I topi mi fanno un senso.
Mice give me the creeps.
Caption 8, PsicoVip - Il topo
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Let’s remember that senso also means “way.” And just as “way” has various meanings, so does senso.
One very common question to ask someone is in che senso (in what way)? We ask this question when we need more details. It’s another way of saying, “What do you mean?”
No, per quello ho disposto diversamente.
No, for that I've distributed it differently.
-In che senso?
-In what way?
Captions 60-61, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 - EP2 - Il mistero di Cetinka
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Just as in English, senso means “way” in traffic too.
Questa strada è a senso unico.
This is a one-way street.
In a nutshell:
Fare senso: to give a sense of repulsion, fear, or disgust
I ragni mi fanno senso.
Spiders disgust me.
Avere senso: to make sense, to have meaning
Ha senso arrivare due ore in anticipo?
Does it make sense to arrive two hours early?
Dare un senso: to give a sense, to give meaning
Ti dà un senso di sicurezza.
It gives you a sense of security.
Aiutare gli altri ti può dare un senso alla vita.
Helping others can give some meaning to your life.
Senso unico: one way
I cinque sensi: the five senses
For even more about senso, see this lesson.
There are times and situations in which reading is the thing to do.
Oppure potete semplicemente sdraiarvi sull'erba,
Or else you can simply lie on the grass,
prendere il sole e leggere un buon libro.
sunbathe and read a good book.
Captions 22-23, Anna presenta - Villa Borghese
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Here are a few ideas to feed your Italian language curiosity.
Una parola al giorno (One word a day)
This is a great website for learning new words in Italian, or for getting explanations about words you have heard or read, and maybe even used, but would like to know more about.
The explanations are in Italian, so it’s mostly for more advanced learners. You can always consult an English language tool as well such as Google, or go straight to WordReference if the Italian is too difficult. By subscribing to Una parola al giorno, you’ll receive a new word every day in your inbox. It may be a word you don’t care about, and you can just send it to the trash, but there will be plenty of useful words, too. It’s free, and you can unsubscribe any time.
Do you like to read?
Sometimes it’s fun to learn new words and expressions in Italian within the context of a book or story in English set in Italy. Both of the following authors pepper their writings with Italian words and phrases. It’s a great opportunity to discover when, where, and how to use them. It also gives you some inside information about Italian culture.
Tim Parks is a British author who has lived in Verona, Italy for many years. He worked as a translator and taught translating skills at Italian universities, as well as being a successful novelist. His books about Italy provide some well-written and humorous insight into Italy, Italians, and the Italian language.
Below are his non-fiction books about Italy.
Italian Neighbours, 1992. Relates how the author and his wife came to a small town near Verona and how they integrate and become accustomed to the unusual habits of their newfound neighbours. ISBN 0099286955
An Italian Education, 1996. Follow up to Italian Neighbours and recounts the milestones in the life of the author's children as they progress through the Italian school system. ISBN 0099286963
Italian Ways, On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo 2013 This is all about the railway system in Italy, and how the author travelled the length of the “boot” to discover its ins and outs.
Donna Leon has written a long series of mysteries set in Venice. She lived in Venice for many years, so her descriptions are quite true-to-life.
A subscriber has asked about the common but difficult-to-translate expression come mai.
For starters, let’s take it apart.
Come (how) is easy enough and mai (never, ever) is as well. So we would be inclined to translate come mai as “ how ever.” With a bit of moving the words around, we could come up with:
Come riuscirai mai a farlo?
How are you ever going to be able to do that?
But what we're examining in this lesson is the idiomatic expression come mai as a unit, because, yes, it can stand on its own or be inserted as is, into a question or certain kinds of statements.
It’s most easily translated as “how come?” “How come” is another way to say “why.” “How come” is actually short for “how did it come about that” and dates from the mid-1800s. We can also translate it as “how is it that...” So we could say that come mai is another way of saying perché when perché means “why.” You may ask: When does perché not mean “why?” See this lesson to find out!
Come mai often expresses surprise at things being different from what one expects, so it’s an expressive way of saying “why.” In certain contexts where there is intense surprise at someone’s actions or decisions, it can even be translated as “why on earth?”
Come mai non hai tolto la pentola dal fuoco?
Why on earth didn’t you take the pot off the burner?
But come mai can also be a less aggressive way to say perché in certain situations. After all, with come mai, you are interested in knowing the other person’s reasons for doing something. So it’s not a cold, indifferent question. You may also be giving someone the benefit of the doubt. As an example, let’s say that the other person is usually reliable, but this time they messed up. Come mai? You’re wondering about it.
The question, perché non mi hai chiamato? asked with a certain tone, can be almost accusatory or dry, but come mai non mi hai chiamato implies that I was really expecting you to have called me, and so you must have a good reason for not calling me.
Let’s look at some examples from Yabla videos.
Ma sai che anche io mi sento un po' stanca, chissà come mai.
But you know that I feel a little tired, too, who knows why?
Caption 27, Anna e Marika - Il verbo avere
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The speaker could easily have said the following, and meant pretty much the same thing:
Ma sai che anche io mi sento un po' stanca, chissà perché.
But come mai gives us the idea that she is truly wondering why she is tired. She shouldn’t be. She slept fine.
Io so perché si chiama arena.
I know why it's called an arena.
-Ah, è vero!
-Oh, that's right!
Come mai si chiama arena?
How come it's called an arena?
Captions 22-24, Marika e Daniela - Colosseo, interno
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In the above example, the speaker could easily have used perché. But come mai implies some real curiosity. It might indicate the wish to hear the long answer rather than the short one.
Let’s remember that perché can mean both “why” and “because.” Come mai, on the other hand, is mostly used in questions but also in some negative or questioning statements, such as:
Non so come mai arrivo sempre in ritardo.
I don’t know why I always come late.
Come mai never means “because.”
In the following example, Mimì of "La Bohème" is talking about a change in Alfredo’s behavior. Since she was jolted by this change, she uses come mai.
Era diventato geloso.
He had become jealous.
Non capivo come mai.
I couldn't understand why.
Captions 27-28, Anna presenta - La Bohème di Puccini
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Hopefully, you now know a bit more about using come mai. If you have more questions about this topic, let us know!
When we look at the verb assistere, and its noun form, l’assistenza, we naturally think of the English verb, “to assist.” We’re right only part of the time.
But here’s the trick. When assistere is transitive, that is, having a direct object, it means much the same as the English “to assist,” “to help.” But when assistere is intransitive, with no direct object, it means something entirely — or almost entirely — different. If you’re not privy to this little detail, it can cause confusion.
Normally when assistere is intransitive, we will see a proposition after it, as in the following example.
Stiamo parlando di Federico Fellini
We're talking about Federico Fellini
che ci ha invitati qui ad assistere alla ripresa de "La dolce vita",
who has invited us here to watch the filming of "La Dolce Vita,"
Captions 11-12, Fellini Racconta - Un Autoritratto Ritrovato
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When intransitive, assistere is about being present, so someone might say:
Ho assistito ad un incidente grave in autostrada.
Before looking at the translation, let’s look at the sentence in Italian. Let’s look for a direct object to see if it’s transitive, or a preposition to see if it’s intransitive.
Well, there happens to be a nice preposition right after assistito, a (with a d after it since there’s a vowel after that) so we know right away that the speaker did not necessarily help anyone, but that he or she was indeed present, and saw the accident. Assistere often implies more than just seeing it from afar as you whiz by in the fast lane. It gives the idea of being present, or close by. We might translate it as follows:
I witnessed a serious accident on the super highway.
Assistere is often used when talking about shows or events. We could say:
Ho visto uno spettacolo (I saw a show).
But it’s very common to say:
Ho assistito ad uno spettacolo (I attended a performance, I was present at a show).
Assistenza, one of the nouns associated with assistere, is often used in conjunction with health care. Assistenza sanitaria is the national health care system in Italy. There’s also la pubblica assistenza (the [local] public health station) where you can get first aid or an ambulance. It’s often a structure where people go to see their assigned doctor. Waiting may be long and there are no appointments, but seeing the doctor is free.
Un assistito is the beneficiary of health care, legal aid, or social services: someone who is in care.
Italian also has the noun un assistente, which is much the same as the English “assistant,” but it is also used in job titles, as in the following example.
Ecco, questo è proprio il modo in cui non ti devi esprimere
There, this is exactly the way you should not express yourself
davanti all'assistente sociale, per favore.
in front of the social worker, if you please.
Captions 61-62, La Tempesta - film
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See this WordReference entry for more jobs using assistente.
And there you have it: assistere.
We hear about i compiti (accent on the first syllable) in videos about school and family.The singular il compito (the assignment, the task) can refer to classwork, or a written test: il compito in classe: I compiti is the plural of il compito and generally refers to homework when in the plural: i compiti a casa (homework, assignments).
Alla scuola di polizia lui non aveva molta voglia di studiare
At the police academy he didn't have much desire to study
e io facevo i suoi compiti e i miei.
and I did his homework and mine.
Captions 48-49, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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Un compito can also refer to an assigned task that has nothing to do with school. Sometimes it’s just a job to do.
Mi crede così ingenuo da affidare a Lei un compito così delicato?
Do you think I'm so naive that I would entrust such a delicate task to you?
Caption 47, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi
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“A job” in English is often translated as un lavoro:
Non aveva un lavoro fisso lui, no.
He didn't have a steady job, no.
Caption 54, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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But if you can replace “job” with “task,” then compito can work in Italian.
In the example abaove, it’s not possible. A job is a job — an occupation. Someone has a job, or does a job, and (hopefully) gets paid for it, or somebody goes to work.
In English we often use “job” to mean “task,” or “responsibility.” So, if I say, “It was my job to look at the proofs.” then I use compito:
Era il mio compito guardare le bozze.
A task is something you do whether you are paid or not, and it can be momentary or recurring. This can either be translated as un compito (a job to do), or un lavoro (a job) that needs doing.
Compito, used as a noun, actually comes from the past participle of the verb compire (to carry out, to finish), so it makes a certain amount of sense. Two other verbs, compiere and competere sound similar and are also relevant. We'll look at these in an upcoming lesson.
In Europe, there is a tradition of final exams being oral rather than written, or in addition to written ones, and this carries over into the schoolroom as well. Oral quizzes are the norm, but they’re not always surprise quizzes, they’re often announced so that the students can prepare (or plan to be absent). They don’t always know whom the teacher will call on.
The Italian verb for this oral quiz is interrogare, which sounds a bit like a police station or torture room, but is just a normal everyday classroom happening. In the following example, it's a girl student who is asking the question.
Professoressa, potrei essere interrogata domani?
Teacher, could I be quizzed tomorrow?
Caption 41, Provaci Ancora Prof! - S1E1 - Il regalo di Babbo Natale
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A Yabla Italian subscriber has asked about how to use anche se (even if) and perfino se (even if). These word combinations have to do with connecting two ideas in a sentence.
Let’s examine anche se (although, even if). The individual words themselves are easy enough — anche means “also” or “even,” and se means “if” — but let’s see how these words fit into sentences, and more importantly, which contexts translate with which English equivalents.
In the following example, we use se (if) in Italian but it doesn’t make sense to use “if” in English, so we need “although,” or the more emphatic “even though.”
Dopo mezzogiorno, cominciamo a dire "Buonasera",
After noon, we start saying "good evening,"
anche se, in realtà, non è proprio sera, è pomeriggio.
even though, actually, it's not really evening; it's the afternoon.
Captions 19-20, Marika spiega - L'orologio
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In the next example, we use anche se to connect a subjunctive clause with a conditional one. Remember that where we see se (if), there might be a verb in the subjunctive lurking nearby. See this lesson about the subjunctive and conditional.
Anche se mi pagasse cento euro, non gli farei quel lavoro.
Even if he paid me a hundred euros, I wouldn’t do the job for him.
In the above example, we could also use the other word our subscriber asked about: persino se.
Persino se mi pagasse trecento euro...
Persino is stronger, with more extreme limits, than anche se.
Let’s look at this adverb persino. The first part is per which means “for” or sometimes “to.”
Sino is another way of saying fino (and in fact perfino also exists). Fino means “until,” among other things. So we can think of perfino as meaning “[up] to the degree.”
The following examples give us an idea of the difference between fino and perfino.
Lavorerò fino a mezzogiorno, poi smetto.
I’ll work until noon, then I’ll quit.Potrei lavorare persino fino a mezzanotte, ma non finirei mai.
I could even work until midnight, but I would never finish.
Perfino and persino may be used interchangeably to mean “even” or “to the point of.” We choose one over the other for reasons of eufonia (euphony), that is, harmonious sound, in other words, because it sounds better. When speaking properly, Italians try to avoid cacofonia (cacophony), which is what happens when there are too many instances of one particular consonant all together. A good example is: tra fratelli (between or among brothers). We don’t say fra fratelli because to Italian ears, the two F’s sound bad together, even though they both are equally correct in meaning.
The above example, which uses both perfino and fino, sounds much clearer with persino. You might very well be thinking perfino would have worked better than persino in the first example above, since the next word starts with an s. You might be right!
Perfino se mi pagasse trecento euro...
Even if he paid me three hundred euros...
In the following example, persino was used. This is perhaps because fu (was) starts with “F.”
Persino la regina cattiva fu invitata,
Even the wicked queen had been invited,
Caption 46, Ti racconto una fiaba - Biancaneve
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In the following example, Marika could have used anche (also, even) in place of perfino, but perfino gives a better idea of something pushed to its limit.
Cerchi sempre il pelo nell'uovo
You always look for the hair in the egg (you split hairs),
e sei perfino capace di trovarlo,
and you're even capable of finding it,
attenta e scrupolosa come sei.
careful and conscientious as you are.
Captions 29-31, Marika spiega - I segni dello Zodiaco
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A common synonym for perfino is addirittura.
Qui accanto a me c'è un albero che ha addirittura
Here next to me, there's a tree that is actually
quattrocento anni di vita.
four hundred years old.
Caption 20, Anna presenta - Villa Borghese
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We hope this has helped in understanding anche se and perfino.
As Daniela finishes up talking about the conditional, she sneaks in a word in the subjunctive, which she hasn’t covered in her lessons yet.
"Io, fossi in te, partirei domani".
"If I were you, I would leave tomorrow."
Caption 4, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Il condizionale - Part 7
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And in the previous segment of the lessons on the conditional, she also uses it.
Il condizionale in italiano si usa per esprimere la possibilità
The conditional is used in Italian to express the possibility
che possa succedere qualcosa.
that something could happen.
Captions 21-22, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Il condizionale - Part 6
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The conditional often goes hand in hand with the subjunctive, so it's not easy to avoid using the subjunctive sometimes.
For those who are curious, there have been some written lessons about the subjunctive, called the congiuntivo in Italian, and we provide some links here so that you can peruse them.
Hypothesis Versus Reality - the subjunctive and the conditional
Verbs of Uncertainty and the Subjunctive
The subjunctive is necessary in several different kinds of scenarios, and they need to be treated one by one, but in very general terms, most of the time, the subjunctive has to do with uncertainty in some way, and that is why it goes hand in hand with the conditional, since the conditional also deals in uncertainty. Be on the lookout for the conjunction che (that, which) that often necessitates the use of the subjunctive following it.
Another way the subjunctive is used is in polite commands, such as:
mi scusi (excuse me)
It also gets used with impersonal verbs:
Bisogna che vada via entro mezzogiorno (it’s necessary for me to leave by noon), and other impersonal constructions such as:
Sarà difficile che tu vada via entro mezzogiorno (it will be unlikely that you leave by noon).
For the most part, the subjunctive has become a rarity in English but we still do use it, especially when we are speaking formally, or just correctly. And we especially find it in proximity to the conditional.
If I were you I would go right now.
It is incorrect to say “if I was you,” even though lots of people do say it.
A good rule of thumb is to learn the subjunctive conjugation for the verbs you will be using often, like essere (to be), avere (to have), and andare (to go) and even more importantly, to learn some frasi fatte (set phrases), like:
Cosa vuoi che faccia (what do you want me to do)?
Cosa vuoi che sia (how serious could it be)?
Dove vuoi che vada (where do you want me to go)?
The verb volere (to want) is used idiomatically here, as a somewhat rhetorical question.
Let's look at some alternative translations of these phrases to get the idea.
Cosa vuoi che faccia (what can I do about it)?
Cosa vuoi che sia (how big a deal could it be)?
Dove vuoi che vada (where could I possibly go? — I'll be right here).
Little by little you'll put all the pieces together and know when to use it and when not to use it.
When Marika showed us her balcony, she used a couple of long words that may have seemed a bit daunting. There are certainly plenty of long words in Italian that are just plain difficult, like farmaceutico (pharmaceutical). The meaning is clear, but pronouncing it takes some practice (don’t snub any of the vowels). Other words, though, have common abbreviations that make life easier. And some long words can be broken down into their parts, making them easily comprehensible as well as pronounceable.
One of the words Marika used in her video was stendibiancheria. It’s long but there’s help.
First of all, most people just say lo stendino (the drying rack).
Second of all, if we start breaking down stendibiancheria into manageable parts, the next time it comes up, you’ll know what it means from the inside out, and you will probably be able to pronounce it as well.
We start out with the verb stendere. It’s a very useful verb that means to spread, to lay out, to stretch out, to extend over space. Thinking of “extend” can help recall this verb.
An interesting extra fact is this:
In the eighteenth century, in Tuscany at least, the (transitive) verb was tendere, that is, to stretch out, to unfold (after washing and wringing out) so that the laundry would dry faster.
As we have learned in a video, and a written lesson, adding an s at the beginning of a word can give it an opposite meaning. So, stendere used to be the opposite of tendere, and meant taking in the now dry laundry, or rather taking it off the clothesline.
Later on, stendere and tendere lost their distinction (dictionaries indicate that in many contexts, stendere and tendere mean the same thing).
Stendere survived as the most common term for hanging up the laundry. Let’s also remember that lacking a clothesline, some people would also have spread their clean laundry on bushes or rocks to catch the sun, so stendere—“spreading it out” makes a certain amount of sense.
Another important context for stendere is cooking.
In the following example, we start out with little balls of pizza dough, but then we spread them out to cover a larger area. So when you are following a recipe in Italian for making fresh pasta or pizza, stendere la sfoglia is when you roll out the dough, spread it out by hand, or use a pasta machine to make wide, flat strips.
Queste pallette [palline] poi vanno fatte lievitare circa due ore
These little balls then are left to rise about two hours
e si stende la pizza.
and you roll out the pizza.
Captions 15-16, Anna e Marika - Pizza al taglio romana
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The past participle of stendere, steso, which can also pass for an adjective, is useful for when you are talking about positions in space.
Stavo, mi ricordo, guardando le olimpiadi, stesa sul divano
I was, I remember, watching the Olympics, lying on the couch
come una balena spiaggiata.
like a beached whale.
Captions 12-13, Anna presenta - Il mio parto
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In the above example, “stretched out” could have worked just as well to translate Anna’s position.
When referring to muscles or just how someone feels, we can use teso (tense), the past participle of tendere, also used as an adjective.
Ha notato qualcosa di strano? Se era teso, preoccupato?
Did you notice anything strange? If he was tense, worried?
Caption 19, Il Commissario Manara -S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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The prefix dis is also used to give a word the opposite meaning. In fact, disteso, the past participle of distendere and adjective, can mean either “relaxed,” “unwound,” or “out,” as in the following example.
Per dire: "ci sentiamo per telefono",
To say, "we'll talk by phone,"
si porta la mano all'altezza dell'orecchio
you bring your hand up to the height of your ear
e si simula la cornetta,
and you imitate a receiver,
tenendo pollice e mignolo distesi.
holding your thumb and little finger out.
Captions 9-12, Arianna spiega - I gesti degli Italiani
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Tendere also means “to tend” as in tendenza (tendency). That’s a nice cognate, isn’t it?
Le piante tendono, quando si inselvatichiscono,
Plants tend, when they become wild,
a fare i frutti molto più piccoli.
to produce much smaller fruit.
Captions 17-18, Gianni si racconta - L'olivo e i rovi
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It’s easy to be confused by all these words that are so close in meaning. Context is key, so just keep watching, listening, and reading, and piano piano ce la farai (little by little you’ll make it), one word at a time!
It’s almost funny how many times the verb capire (to understand) was used in last week’s episode of Commissario Manara. It’s not really funny because it was about Iolanda Sorge’s tragic murder. But it’s an excellent example of how often capire is used in everyday speech. And since in casual conversation, this past participle can stand alone, it’s very handy and easy to use. It can fill up the time between one phrase and the next. It’s almost as common as “you know” in English.
As mentioned in previous lessons, capire is most often used in the past participle, capito, even when English would call for the present tense, as in the following example.
La gente si fida di me, capito?
People trust me, you understand?
Caption 12, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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In the following example, the speaker is getting more specific (and angrier), and uses the verb with its subject and auxiliary verb.
Te [tu] mi usi per ricattarli, hai capito?
You're using me to blackmail them, you understand?
Caption 14, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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Later on in the episode, Manara is in a meeting with his chief. Here, they use the present indicative of capire. In this case, we’re talking about understanding something or someone on a deeper level. It’s used transitively, and means something like, “Do you understand where I’m coming from?” or “Do you understand what I’m really trying to tell you?”
Ci sono i segreti di mezzo paese in quelle registrazioni,
There are secrets from half the town in those recordings,
mi capisce?
you understand me?
La capisco perfettamente.
I understand you perfectly.
Captions 44-45, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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When arguing with her husband, Iolanda could have used the second person indicative present tense capisci (do you understand), and it would have been correct and maybe equally as effective, but using the past participle of this verb is just how people usually talk.
In the following example, the speaker could have used va bene (all right) or even the loan word “OK” in place of capito.
Ma te non ti devi preoccupare, capito?
But you're not to worry, understand?
Caption 44, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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But capito is a great and user-friendly alternative.
When listening to someone tell you something, instead of just nodding your head and saying sì sì (yes, yes), it’s very natural to say ho capito (literally, “I have understood/I understood,” or “I get it”). People will say it to you when you are speaking, even if they don’t quite get what you’re saying. It’s basically another way of saying “I’m listening.”
As you go through your day, try mentally using capire in its past participle to ask the question “do you get it?” (capito?) or to replace “you know?” (capito?), or to say, “I heard you, I’m listening” (ho capito).
One of our subscribers has asked about the difference between il fine and la fine.
It’s an excellent question, and one many of us surely wonder about from time to time.
Both il fine and la fine refer to “the end,” more or less.
Italian has its origins in Latin. Finis is both masculine and feminine in Latin, depending on the meaning. These meanings have, for the most part, been carried over into Italian.
When referring to periods, ranges, and intervals of time, the masculine is used. A good example of this is il fine settimana. Here we’re not talking about “the end of the week,” by which we often mean Friday or Saturday, a specific moment in time, but rather “the weekend,” a period that lasts from, say, Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. That’s why Italian uses the masculine il fine settimana. It’s an interval of time. Of course, oggi come oggi (today, literally “today as today”), “weekend” has been adopted into Italian and lots of people just say buon weekend rather than buon fine settimana.
Questo è proprio un lungo weekend.
This is really a long weekend.
Un fine settimana lunghissimo.
A very long weekend.
Captions 33-34, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Orari di apertura e sistema scolastico
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One useful expression that uses the masculine form of fine is andare a buon fine (literally: to go to a good ending, to be successful).
Bene, la prenotazione è andata a buon fine.
Good, the reservation was successful.
Caption 24, Marika spiega - Fare lo spelling
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Another popular expression with the masculine form of fine is il lieto fine (the happy ending) when talking about stories. Note that the English translation, in this case, is “ending,” not “end.” When we are talking about the final phase of something, we generally use the masculine.
In genere, questi film romantici hanno un lieto fine.
In general, these romantic films have a happy ending.
Il fine can also correspond to the goal or the purpose. In this case, we use the masculine.
Al fine di permettere un'accelerazione del processo di compostaggio,
In order to enable the speeding up of the process of composting,
si cercherà di ridurre il materiale di grosse dimensioni
one will try to break down the larger pieces of material
da collocare nella compostiera.
to place in the composter.
Captions 25-26, Raccolta differenziata - Campagna di sensibilizzazione del Comune di Alliste (LE)
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In English, we also use this sense of fine meaning “goal” sometimes: “to what end?” meaning “for what purpose?” or, “the end justifies the means.”
When referring to the end or conclusion of something, or the moment in which something ends, then the feminine is used. With the exception of the above-mentioned cases, most of the time, fine is feminine: la fine. You’ll find a great many examples if you do a Yabla search.
Le fettine così sottili com'è successo a me,
The really thin little slices, like what happened to me,
faranno un po' una brutta fine.
will come to a bad end.
Captions 42-43, Marika spiega - La Parmigiana di melanzane
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In the Yabla search you will also see fine with no article at all. This is used when two nouns stand next to each other to express one idea, but are not attached, rather like fine settimana. In fact, many compound but detached words imitate “weekend” or fine settimana and are masculine, even when their actual meaning may also be interpreted as referring to completion, such as:
Fine corso (the end of a course, end of the line, as for a bus or train)
Fine anno (the last part of the year)
Fine stagione (end of season)
A fine pranzo and alla fine del pranzo are both correct. They mean almost the same thing (at the end of the midday meal), but fine pranzo, for all intents and purposes, is a compound word (or concept) whereas alla fine del pranzo uses prepositions and articles. They’re set up differently.
This detail can be handy, especially when you’re not sure whether to use la or il.
Quando ti devo pagare? -Fine mese.
When do I have to pay you? -End of month.
No need to say alla fine del mese (at the end of the month).
There is more to say about fine, especially since it has some ambiguities both as an adjective and as a preposition, so stay tuned!
Let’s talk about some other common Italian words containing written accents. In case you missed the lesson in which we started talking about accents, read it here.
The accent on the u at the end of più (more) tells us that the accent of the word doesn’t fall on the i, which is where it would naturally fall.
Più gli ingredienti sono freschi e più è buono.
The fresher the ingredients are, the better it is.
Caption 16, Andromeda - in - Storia del gelato
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A similar-looking word is pio (pious) where the accent does fall on the i, and indeed there is no accent on any letter.
È pio, eh di, di nome e di fatto.
He's Pio [pious], uh in, in name and in fact.
Caption 48, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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In the same manner, ciò (that, what) has an accent on the o to tell us the accent is not on the i where it would normally fall.
È uno che di fronte a una bella donna
He's someone who, faced with a beautiful woman,
si dimentica di ciò che è giusto e ciò che è sbagliato.
forgets what's right and what's wrong.
Caption 28, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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All the days of the week except il sabato (Saturday) and la domenica (Sunday) have an accent on the i at the end: lunedì (Monday), martedì (Tuesday), mercoledì (Wednesday), giovedì (Thursday), venerdì (Friday). In fact, dì is another word for "day" (normally giorno).
Un bel dì vedremo.
One beautiful day we'll see.
Caption 13, Anna presenta - Madama butterfly di Giacomo Puccini
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Without the accent on the i, it's di (of).
Eppure io non ho mai smesso né di aspettarlo né di amarlo.
Nonetheless I never ceased to wait for him or to love him.
Caption 11, Anna presenta - Madama butterfly di Giacomo Puccini
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Similarly, da (of, from, to, at) has no accent, but when we conjugate the third person singular of the verb dare (to give), we use an accent to distinguish it from da: dà.
Invito Sigrid, una mia studentessa a farvelo sentire,
I invite Sigrid, a student of mine, to let you hear
in modo da mettere in evidenza appunto ogni sillaba
it in order to highlight, precisely each syllable
che dà il nome alle note.
that gives its name to the notes.
Captions 37-39, A scuola di musica - con Alessio
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Remember that except for e, where the accent may be either grave (è) or acute (é) to distinguish between an open (è) or closed (é) e, all the accents will be “grave,” that is, going down from left to right (à, ì, ò, ù).
Try learning these words one by one, making the accent part of the word as you learn it. Needless to say, taking advantage of the Yabla games, from multiple choice to Scribe, will help you nail it.
In a recent video, Marika shows us the balcony of her apartment in Rome, so let’s talk about a couple of details concerning Italian life that come to the fore as she takes us around.
Il bucato (the laundry):
In the United States, there are laundry rooms in the basement of a house or apartment building, but this is rare in Italy. People have their own washing machines, usually in the kitchen, bathroom, or on the balcony.
Quando ho finito di usare la lavatrice
When I've finished using my washing machine
e devo stendere i miei panni,
and I need to hang out my laundry,
userò lo stendibiancheria, che è questo.
I'll use the drying rack, which is this one.
Captions 41-42, Marika spiega - Il balcone
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Some people have dryers but most ordinary people don’t. That’s why Marika talks about the drying racks. You buy the one that suits the space you have. The weather is usually such that you can dry your clothes outside. Occasionally, you do need to put the drying racks inside because of inclement weather, or you can place a plastic tarp over the rack to keep the rain out. There are laundromats in town, so if the weather is too bad, you can dry your clothes at the laundromat. Laundry in Italy is something that takes a little thought and planning. Electricity costs less at night, on weekends, and on holidays, so people who want to save do their laundry on the weekend, or at night. Newer washing machines have timers so you can schedule the wash to start at an appropriate time. A load of wash takes a lot longer to finish than you may be used to. It’s not unusual for a cycle to take an hour and a half.
La raccolta differenziata (recycling):
We say “recycling” but actually, what raccolta differenziata (differentiated collection) actually means is separating our garbage into different types to be collected, thus the term “differentiated.” It’s a bit tricky for people who live in apartments.
Per fortuna anche qui, come in tanti posti del mondo,
Luckily, here too, as in many places in the world,
si fa la raccolta differenziata.
we do recycling.
Caption 17, Marika spiega - Il balcone
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All the wrappers for food and other materials, usually made of plastic, but also including Tetra Paks and cans, go in one bin. Paper and cardboard go in another, glass in another, and most importantly, the wet stuff, usually food waste, goes in a separate container. What cannot be recycled in any way goes into the general, mixed garbage, or indifferenziata. We are encouraged to keep this type of waste to a bare minimum. Separating the different kinds of waste makes it much easier for the sanitation department workers to go through it and sort it further. Appropriate material will then be actually recycled. People who live outside the city, and have enough space, can get a bio-composter (usually free of charge) so they can recycle their own food and gardening refuse.
The European Parliament has set goals for reducing waste as far as possible. The method that has had the most success is what is called porta a porta (door to door) collection. Every day, a different kind of waste is picked up. At the outset, it costs more, but as it takes hold, people can actually save money.
Zanzariere (mosquito screens):
In the United States, most houses have screen doors and screens on the windows, but in Italy, this is a relatively recent phenomenon. There are all kinds of solutions, from screen curtains with magnets or velcro, to mosquito nets, to proper screens fitted into the windows and doors. They are usually the type that can be easily raised and lowered so people can air their bedspreads and pillows, and shake out their rugs, rags and dust mops from the windows.
Questa alle mie spalle si chiama zanzariera
This, behind me, is called mosquito netting [screen],
e serve per proteggermi dagli insetti.
and serves to protect me from insects.
Captions 6-7, Marika spiega - Il balcone
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If you travel to Italy in the summer, it can be wise to make sure the hotel or Bed and Breakfast you are staying in has screens on the windows and French doors. It may not be a given.
Most of us have dealt with custodians at one time or another. They’re the ones who take care of a place, like a school, church, or museum. And while custode is a good bet for the equivalent of any kind of “guardian,” there are other words that are more specific.
When referring to someone as a “custodian,” Italians often do use il custode, especially in the realm of museums and such places, and may even use custode to refer to the more prestigious role of “curator.” The curator of a museum is often called il direttore. In the following example, it’s impossible to know the professional level of the custode in question.
Il custode del museo mi mostra due carrozze
The curator of the museum shows me two carriages,
restaurate di recente...
recently restored...
Caption 27, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 1
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In referring to custodians, Italian also uses il guardiano (the guardian), or in schools, ilbidello or la bidella (the janitor) in addition to custode. In a Catholic church, on the other hand, a word similar to “sexton” or “sacristan” is used: il sagrestano or il sacrestano.
“Custody” in English often refers to divorce settlements. But when a parent is given custody of a child, then Italian employs l’affidamento, from the verb affidare (to entrust).
Suspects or criminals can be “taken into custody.” In this case, detenere is the verb meaning “to take into custody.” Once taken into custody they’re in detenzione. A prisoner is also known as un detenuto. “Detention” at school, after all, is a form of punishment, and “imprisons” the student after school hours.
So, we need only stretch our imagination very slightly to understand what custodire means.
In this week’s episode about Giuseppe Pitrè and Sicilian traditions, a couple of variations of custodire are used. Custodire is often used to refer to conserving or taking care of something. In Pitrè’s case, we’re talking about stories and traditions.
Il modo migliore di custodire la tradizione
The best way to preserve tradition
è quello di saperla adattare continuamente.
is to know how to adapt it, continually.
Caption 26, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 6
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Il dato positivo di Pitrè è che, in fondo,
The positive fact about Pitrè is that, deep down,
ama questo popolo a cui dà voce,
he loves this populace to which he gives a voice,
da cui raccoglie racconti, testimonianze
whose stories and remembrances he gathers,
e in qualche modo le vuole custodire,
and somehow he wants to conserve them,
le vuole salvaguardare.
he wants to safeguard them.
Captions 30-32, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 6
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The person who does the conserving can be called il custode (the custodian), as in the following example.
Ora, credo che Pitrè sia uno dei custodi della tradizione.
Now, I believe that Pitrè is one of the custodians of the tradition.
Caption 23, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 6
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We can talk about conserving physical objects, too. Custodire is a verb often used in conjunction with works of art in museums, castles, and churches.
Nell'Auditorium comunale di Norcia,
In the Municipal Auditorium of Norcia,
... è custodita, invece, la bellissima pala d'altare.
... is housed, instead, the very beautiful altarpiece.
Captions 12-14, Itinerari Della Bellezza - Umbria
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Someone who owns a musical instrument, or some other kind of precious or fragile object, will usually keep it in una custodia (a case).
Custodire and “custody,” with their various derivatives, stem from the Latin custos, meaning “the guard.” So it all makes a certain amount of sense, doesn’t it?
It’s interesting how a word in Latin or other ancient language evolves to mean different things in different languages. Finding the connections can be fun, all the time remembering that there may be a few false friends waiting around the corner.
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